About Me

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Okay- today is Mother's Day and though we aren't doing anything big for the day.... In fact the Pipsqueak is going to a friend's house to play later, I thought I'd post anyway.

I received a letter from my 12 year old today that I never expected. In essence she thanked me for all I do and knows that her bio parents are glad that I adopted her and are as proud of her as I am. It gave me some insight into her at this point and I am forever thankful that she shared it with me.

Talk about the best Mom's Day gift ever.... A heartfelt letter from my kid.

BTW- made the best breakfast casserole in the crock pot. Put it in last night and cooked it on low over night. It was wonderful and I can't wait to try other variations of it. Talk about easy and even the Pipsqueak ate some of it before putting frozen waffles in the toaster.

Yesterday was a great day too- as I discovered a wonderful Greek restaurant and a new favorite Italian place. I can't wait to go back and get more than pita from the Greek place and know I will be craving the homemade garlic, parmesan bread sticks from the Italian place.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Well, I think I'm back... not sure if anybody even checks this blog anymore, but what the heck, a blog is supposed to be for the person writing it right?

Summer is again in full force and I wish at times that I could go back in time and tell my younger self the things I should do and not do on the way to becoming an adult. Wouldn't hindsight be great then?

Nothing much to report, the Pipsqueak is growing by leaps and bounds. She is now an orange belt in TaeKwanDo and her goal is to be a first degree Jr. black belt by the time she is 13. I'm sure she can meet that goal if she continues to focus on it the way she has been doing.

Life is pretty much the same around here...but I know it could be worse.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Okay, as an educator- 2nd grade teacher for years... I can soooo understand this and find it very funny! Anybody who is still with me, I hope you enjoy it....

The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back. When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame. Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome. Well, one day this little girl, Emily, a very bright, very outgoing kid,takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater. She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.' 'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.' She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement. 'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Emily puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!' (Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.) 'My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this.' (Then Emily lies down with her back against the wall.) 'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands miming water flowing away. It was too much!) 'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe.They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-center, so there must be a lot of toys inside there. When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there in the first place.' Then Emily stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat.

I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's Show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another 'Middle Wife' comes along.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Well, it looks like another month gone. August has faded into the memory as an incredibly hot summer that ended way too early with back to school being a week earlier than usual. I still don't understand the logic of going back so early, but I guess NCLB crap is to blame partially.

I've started subbing again and am hoping for a lot of work. I need the work. Getting out of the house and money are wonderful motivators. I only wish that I could win the lottery. Things wouldn't be perfect, but they would be so much simpler if I didn't have to worry about the financial aspect of life every day.

Today, I suppose is a day of reflection for many. 9/11 altered life in these United States as no other tragedy has since Pearl Harbor in December of 1941. Remembering where I was on that day has me teaching in an inner-city school in Dallas. I had recently gotten a referral for my Pipsqueak whom I adopted from India. I remember thinking if my adoption would be delayed because of 9/11. (It was, but for other reasons). I remember my fellow teachers and I talking about the ramifications of that day and the fact that we were all in a type of shock that anyone would do that.... Ten years later I don't know if things are better or worse.

I refuse to fly now. It just isn't worth the cost to put myself through the abuse of the TSA. I look at countries such as Israel and how their airports are some of the safest in the world. I think we need to take lessons.

The Pipsqueak has been home since 2002 and I can't believe she's almost 11. I guess life goes on; as it should.